The Lord Hears the Cry of the Poor, Blessed be the Lord!
Contemplation of the mystery of Christmas, almost upon us, sees the Lord's attentiveness to the plight of the poor. He who came into our poverty, in silence and obscurity, also comes into the hidden plights of every man and woman. Though He seems powerless or even absent, His love is the gravity that holds together not only the world... Read More

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
-Hebrews 10:23
In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus speaks very movingly about the need to rely on our Father’s loving care: “Do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?... Read More

The Victory of Surrender
Part I of II
“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.”
(Psalm 127:1)
No matter how noble our cause may be, how do we know if it’s really the Lord doing the building?
This is a question that was painfully put to me recently. Last year, I heard in my heart a call to launch a new initiative called Heroic Families because there is no more... Read More

Leadership and Prayer
30 Days with Teresa of Avila
Day 19 Reflections
Divine Intimacy Radio
St. Teresa of Avila (also known as St. Teresa of Jesus) gives insights into effective leadership techniques of leadership and prayer. Dan and Melissa reflect on letters from St. Teresa of Avila from Dan Burke's book 30 Days with Teresa of Avila, Day 19.
Topics/Questions covered in the show:
St. Teresa... Read More

Peace During Persecution:
30 Days with Teresa of Avila:
Reflections on Day 18
In today's episode of Divine Intimacy Radio, Dan Burke and Melissa Elson look at how a saint responds to persecution? Recognizing aspects of a saint's character. St. Teresa's letters reveal aspects of her personal character, but also some of the secrets to sainthood. Reflections on Day 18 from the book 30 Days with Teresa... Read More

Alleluia! Christ is Risen!
How are We Able to Hold Fast to Our Faith? He is Risen!
In the midst of our busy lives, it is easy to be overwhelmed and to feel overcome by difficult circumstance. For those who strive to pray, Christ risen from the dead allows us to taste this only in order to help us come to spiritual maturity. He himself comes to give us hope, that we might stand firm and not... Read More

Consolation and Abandonment
Presence of God – Into Your hands, O Lord, I abandon myself with all confidence.
MEDITATION
“There are many who desire to make progress [in the spiritual way] and constantly entreat God to draw them and let them advance to this state of perfection [the state of union], but when it pleases God to begin to bring them through the first trials and mortifications, as... Read More

I am a list-maker, an excessive post-it user, an organizational app connoisseur. I love the stability that organization provides. It's really the only way I can keep track of all of my commitments. This aspect of my personality, although wonderful for an ordered, balanced secular life, creates little stumbling blocks for me in my spiritual life. Learning to “let go and let God” is a constant... Read More

The newest Retreat Guide from RCSpirituality.org, the “Trouble with Trust: A Retreat Guide for Lent” is available now.
St. Paul tells us that because of Christ’s Passion – his suffering, death, and resurrection – God proves that he is completely trustworthy:
… If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own son but handed him over for us all, how will he not... Read More

About a decade before I converted to Catholicism, I was struggling with aridity. Former Protestants can attest to the fact that there is little help in Protestantism for this or any other significant malady in the realm of spiritual progress. So, I began searching, and I stumbled across a priest who had written on the topic. This priest provided me with the wisdom I needed – wisdom the Holy Spirit... Read More

Join Dan and Stephanie Burke as they answer your questions about the spiritual life. Topics/Questions Covered in the Show: Is God there when we are frustrated with life? How do I find the best resources? Is it bad to feel nothing when I meditate? How did the saints pray against the enemy? Saints suffering scrupulosity? Resources: […]

Join Dan and Stephanie Burke as they answer your questions about spiritual desolation, suffering, the prayer of quiet, consistency in prayer, Lectio Divina and more. Topics/Questions Covered in the Show: How can we avoid getting discouraged during a period of desolation? How does one suffer well? How can we offer up our suffering? When exactly […]